We don’t want to throw cold water on your excitement to get in and enjoy open water swimming BUT it is important to recognise that there are risks associated to cold water swimming. Water under 15 degrees is considered cold water, so for the majority of the year UK water temperatures are in this category. Before you even dip a toe in the water please research the risks and be prepared for your open water adventures.
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| Photo by Liviu Florescu |
You must not forget that cold water immersion can induce a
heart attack, asthma attack, panic attacks, drowning, cold water shock,
hypothermia and even death. Whilst it is amazing to feel the benefits of the
great outdoors with this comes personal responsibility to ensure your own
safety and a moral duty to look out for other swimmers. Solent Sea Swimmers accepts
no responsibility for the decisions made by swimmers nor the accuracy of
information presented which may change in relation to research, medical and
expert opinion, so again I say do your research!
There are of course the more obvious risks such as tides,
currents, entry and exit points, which we do not cover here. Of the many risks associated with this
extreme past time it is important to have a good understanding of the following.
This is the result of our bodies natural reaction to
entering cold water, as we do we enter into flight or flight mode, however this
can be extremely dangerous. The water temperature doesn’t have to even be that
cold, the same effect can occur in swimming pool temperature water (I’m sure we’ve
all experienced this) so don’t be surprised if you experience it in UK water
temperatures, whether it be sea, river or lake!
Cold water instigates a significant respiratory and cardio
response. On entering the cold water our heart rate increases considerably as
do our respirations but it is known that even our first breath can be enough to
introduce a lethal dose of water to our lungs, as the gasp reflex occurs .
May and June can be
the most dangerous time of the year don’t make the mistake of thinking this is
a risk only known to winter swimmers!
Stages to cold water shock to be aware of:
A gasp for breath followed by rapid breathing (hyperventilation) so you are unable to hold your breath under water for more than a few seconds.
As your breathing becomes uncontrolled, your blood pressure will shoot up as your body tries to keep you blood warm by moving it toward the middle of your body (this is why you go pale when you are cold).
The effect of cold water in your ears can induce vertigo so you can easily become disorientated.
Once you gain control of your breathing you can safely exit the water or swim if you are safe to do so. As your muscles cool your muscle control reduces and you may find you can’t swim any longer and are unable to rescue yourself. At this point you are in what is known as ‘swim failure’, this is an emergency situation if you are still in the water without any kind of buoyancy aid you are at great risk of drowning.
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| photo by Ian @greystorm |
If you intend to go in the water for a swim:
Don’t swim alone or at least have someone spotting from shore
When you first go in enter the water slowly, don’t jump straight in, stay afloat keep your mouth away from the water and get your breathing under control and acclimatise
If you go in regularly you will habituate to the cold water after time so it will get easier, but be aware that one day you may feel fine and the next you may not
You need to gain control of your breathing so try to relax and get your breathing back into a rhythm
Wear specialist protective clothing such as a wetsuit, ear plugs, hats etc to reduce the cold water effect
If you are in a situation where a life jacket is required please wear one eg.SUP/ Kayaking
Please watch the video by Prof Tipton on Cold water shock –
the facts | Royal Life Saving Society UK ( RLSS UK )
HYPOTHERMIA
Hypothermia is a dangerous drop in body temperature. Normal body temperature is 37 degrees but when it drops to below 35 degrees it is a medical emergency and requires an emergency response. It is known that hypothermia slowly develops and the possibility of hypothermia does not arise for at least 30 minutes. Whilst we would recommend keeping a time on your swim and building up slowly you should also factor in the afterdrop. After drop is where the body continues to cool even after leaving the water.
Symptoms of Hypothermia to look our for are:
Shivering.
Pale, cold, dry skin, skin and lips may be blue.
Slurred speech.
Slow breathing.
Tiredness or confusion
How can you help:
Call emergency services.
Move the person indoors or to a sheltered area as quickly as possible.
Remove wet clothing and wrap them in a blanket, sleeping bag, dry robe, towel.
Ensure their head is covered.
Give them a warm non-alcoholic drink and some sugary food if they are fully awake.
Keep them awake by talking to them until help arrives.
Do not leave them unattended
DO NOT:
Do not use a hot water bottle, bath or heat lamp to warm them
Do not rub their arms, legs, hands or feet
Do Not give them alcohol
TRANSIENT GLOBAL AMNESIA
Cold water immersion, among other causes, can lead to
transient global amnesia which is a temporary episode of memory loss.
Your ability to recall vanishes so you may not know where
you are, how you got there or even what is happening in the here and now, so
you may be repetitive for example repeating ‘what am I doing here?’ It can be a very frightening experience but
often improves over some hours.
What to look out for:
A sudden onset of memory loss, witnessed by others
Retention of personal identity despite memory loss
Normal cognition, so able to recognise familiar objects and follow directions
Absence of signs indicating damage to an area of the brain such as paralysis, involuntary movements or impaired word recognition
It would be normal to identify a duration of no longer than
24 hours and often shorter, a gradual return of memory, no recent head injury,
no evidence of seizures during the periods of amnesia, no history of epilepsy
How can you help?
Seek immediate medical attention for anyone that goes quickly from normal awareness to confused, you may need to call the ambulance for them if they are too confused
Acute changes in awareness could be the cause of more serious life threatening illness
Stay with the person and ensure they are warm and dry
Offer reassurance until help arrives
Open water swimming is fun, exhilarating, has great health benefits. It has gained huge interest particularly over the past year with the lockdown of swimming pools. Always remember that water deserves respect, it can bring great joy but also great sadness.
Know the risks whether those mentioned above or the wider risks. Don’t go alone and think through the following:
Who are you swimming with, what are their abilities, do you known them – what would you do if they had a medical emergency, do they have in case of emergency information, do you even know their name!
Check out the weather conditions, don’t go if its not safe, if you get to the venue and you feel its unsafe don’t go in just because others are.
Think about the water quality, has rain run off contaminated the waters for example.
Know a bit about where you are, the tides, currents, under currents,hazards under the waterline or if there are any weirs, sealife and what route are you taking.
Think about your entry and exit points and have a contingency plan in case of emergency enroute how would you exit the water safely, how would alert others.
Get kitted out, a wetsuit will protect you from the cold water but can change your stroke so you may need to adjust your stroke so watch out for injury . Don’t forget goggles and lubricant to prevent rub. A towfloat is good to be visible and it can be useful to attach a whistle.
How will you alert emergency services if required. Have a phone, ‘what three words’ to pinpoint location
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| Photo by Peter Secan |
Cold water swimming/wild swimming, whatever you want to call it, is an absolute joy and has a growing following and circles of community across the country. It is lovely to see the community grow with those eager to dip, to those wanting to stretch themselves with more vigorous challenges. It is however tempered with risks that we must acknowledge or ignore at our peril!
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